When I was originally considering buying a Tracker Darcy (or someone at Microsurvey) described to me how they had put the Tracker in a freezer overnight to test it for it's ability to withstand cold temperatures. I was led to believe before I bought these data collectors that they had been carefully tested for normal outdoor experiences. Now I have to send one of my Trackers in for "repair" (warranty work?) because the touch screen won't respond. I've been given instructions to send the Tracker to one of two manufacturing/repair centres. I've also been told in the instructions that my Tracker IS NOT WEATHERPROOF !!!!! Can we clear this up. I can appreciate that something like dropping any piece of electronic equipment into water would be a problem, and would not be considered a normal "weatherproof" scenario. But how can you tell me that you've marketed and sold data collectors to be used outdoors specifically and they're NOT weatherproof?? The only moisture that our collectors have been exposed to is light, brief periods of rain. The crews put away all of the electronic equipment when it starts raining. But I would expect that to be a reasonable and normal outdoor experience. But now you're telling me that they're NOT weatherproof?? You've sold data collectors to surveyors across Canada and they're NOT WEATHERPROOF ????!! I'm having a little trouble believing that. For my sake, and the sake of several other Tracker owners, could you explain exactly what's going on with these data collectors?

When put to an impromptu rain shower test, our IP65 rated JETT®•ce passes with high marks. Its competitor, however, does not.

For two hours, our unit and an unidentified hand held, were subjected to a steady rain shower, simulated by an outdoor hose. The JETT IP65 showed its true colors under this intensive soaking: the keys, the display and most importantly, the guts of the JETT, came away in perfect working order. What happened to the other unit? It was simply bogged down.

Thanks to our testers in rainy British Columbia for proving once again that the JETT IP65 has what it takes to survive even the harshest of environments."

I can tell you from personal experience the touch screen is subject to malfunction when water or dirt get between the outside portion of the case surrounding the screen and the touch screen itself. The moisture can even migrate to between the outside membrane of the screen and the screen itself. This is a real problem when this occurs. I had to use a hair dryer to cause the moisture to evaporate from between these two surfaces. I also thought FIELD GENIUS and the TRACKER could negotiate a 9600,1,8,n baud rate to communicate with my ZXtreme, it can't! FOR THE RECORD the TRACKER is not weatherproof.

The original JettCe was not rated to any specific environmental conditions by the manufacturer. We therefore did not state that it would withstand any specific amount of moisture in our marketing information. They did specify that the Tracker would work to -20C, so that is something that we were able to test and verify.

The newer version of the Tracker which we call the IP65 has been tested by an independent testing house to an IP65 rating. This is a documented amount of moisture for a specified amount of time.

The original Tracker has proven to be a very reliable unit with a failure rate of a few percent. This is not surprising considering the environment it works in. We started shipping protective cases with the Tracker, at no charge to the customer, as soon as they were available from the manufacturer to further assist our customers in protecting their units from the weather.

Our recommendation at this point is, if you have the original Tracker, use the case when possible to protect the unit from rain. I have read reports from users of other data collectors that they too have experienced problems when water gets inbetween the screen edge and the unit. This problem is not unique to the JettCe.

Although your response leads me to think, yet again, that Microsurvey believes that the Tracker IS weatherproof, there are other people at Microsurvey that seem to be of the opinion that they're not. Let me quote what Shannon Taylor wrote to me and then let me know whether or not you too get the impression that she's of the opinion that these units are NOT weatherproof;

"The only thing they can do is upgrade the current membrane keyboard to an Elastomeric which is our own custom key pad but it would not be weather proof just as your current one is not. (italics mine)"

Is the Tracker built to withstand normal weather conditions, or is it not?

Am I going to have to pay for something that I feel should be covered under warranty, so that I can continue to have and use a data collector that ISN'T WEATHERPROOF ??!!!

Is the Tracker built to withstand normal weather conditions, or is it not?

Here is the problem.

What is normal? It is normal for you, or for someone working in Prince Rupert BC, or someone working in Phoenix, AZ. They are entirely different requirements. I can tell you that it is not weatherproof for Prince Rupert BC, but it would probably be considered weatherproof for Phoenix, because it will work in 50C. That is their biggest concern.

The original Tracker was not rated, nor was it sold with any IP rating. If it was, and it ingressed some water, then we could go back to the manufacturer and discuss the problem.

Our recommendation at this point is, if you have the original Tracker, use the case when possible to protect the unit from rain.

As I said earlier, Darcy, our collectors are only exposed to brief periods of rain. The guys put away all of their electronic equipment when it rains. I'm not talking about any version of weather that even approaches what might be experienced in some of the regions throughout Canada. Light rain. A small and reasonable amount of moisture that would normally be experienced as you took your equipment (data collector, total station, walkie-talkie, cell phone, calculator, plans and paperwork) from it's set-up location to the work vehicle or other form of shelter. I'm trying to describe normal as reasonable, what a surveyor could reasonably expect when they're working out of doors. Some moisture. Not submersion. Not using the data collector to pound nails. It could be a snowfall, mist, dew, the beginning of a rain storm, but only a reasonable amount of moisture.

I guess that I can only restate the same recommendation. Take the case with the data collector and hang it on the tripod. If it starts to rain, put the data collector in the case. It is not going to have a problem if you do that.

how do we know if we have a weather proof tracker or not, can i tell by the serial number on the back? The tracker i have is about 3 or 4 months old. And since it is in working condition, does that mean i can send it in and you will make it an IP65 unit if it it is not an IP65 unit, currently?

I'm not a real big fan of the cases, because you can't set the tracker in the clamp on the legs, and its hard to keep the strap around your neck and have the cable connected to the total station, when you constantly have to move around, i suppose if the tracker was wireless it would be o.k, how would i go about setting up my Tracker with bluetooth and a Leica TC 605L. That way i can put the tracker in the case and still be able to walk around without wires attached to me. Any info would be great.

My Tracker failed the first time it was used in real rain. The screen seemed to freeze up. It did start working again eventually but the display never returned to its original clarity. At the time the IP65 version was not available and I traded up to the Allegro with mono screen. So far this has been reliable in all weather and the key board is excellent. The screen response however is very lazy compared to the Tracker. I think I would buy an IP65 Tracker now if we could get FG to work with the Sokkia Radian receiver.The suggestion to work with the Tracker in its bag in the rain is completely impractical. The key pad on the non IP65 unit is very difficult to work even naked and FG is strongly stylus driven and it is almost impossible to operate through a thickness of transparent plastic.I can't comment for everyone but for work here in Scotland the basic Tracker is a non starter.

Ther are a number of manufactures that make the bluetooth reciever end for the standard 9-pin plug so it can be done...we just have not physically ordered the parts....some have internal batteries and some require a 5v power suply....most of the guys I have talked to use the reciever with a small 4.8v battery placed in a small plastic box that hangs on the tripod since the units with built in batteries seem to have around a 4-5 hour life before needing to be recharged.....but go to www.rpls.com and search under bluetooth and you should find some post on this setup....most guys I have talked to like it.